Heat’s Goran Dragic on initial concern over Tyler Johnson’s injury: ‘I’ve never seen Tyler stay down like that’

Heat guard Tyler Johnson lays on the floor after being injury during Miami’s loss at Chicago on Monday. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE – Goran Dragic explained why there was such a look of concern of the faces of the Heat players as Tyler Johnson writhed on the court in pain Monday in Chicago.

“I’ve never seen Tyler stay down like that,” Dragic said.

Johnson, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard, has had his share of injuries, mostly having to do with his shoulder and neck area. Otherwise he’s been shelved because of migraines or even after dental work. But Johnson always pops up when something is hurting.

Except Sunday, when he landed awkwardly after being tangled with Bulls center Robin Lopez under the basket and reached for his left leg with two hands during Miami’s 119-111 loss.

The news, at least initially, was somewhat positive as the Heat said Johnson sustained a left ankle sprain and X-rays were negative. Later, coach Erik Spoelstra said the injury is to the back of the foot. The team waited until Tuesday before determining if Johnson would require an MRI. An MRI was not taken and none is scheduled at this time.

Johnson is listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Bucks.

“Oh man, that’s where my mind’s at,” center Hassan Whiteside said following the game. “The game is over. I’m more worried about Tyler. I’m praying for him. I want him to come back as soon as possible because our backcourt already has seen enough. We’re going to miss him. I hope it’s a speedy recovery, because we’re down so many guards. I feel like it’s a team of big men, now.”

The Heat likely will be without Johnson for at least the short term, which is magnified considering Johnson is starting only because Dion Waiters will undergo ankle surgery and is out of the rest of the season.

All that means is Spoelstra once again will have to tinker with the starting lineup, something he has become all familiar with the last couple of seasons.

“It seems like all (shooting guards) are going down,” Dragic said, mentioning Rodney McGruder, who has missed the entire season after surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left leg.

Said Kelly Olynyk: “We’ve been short staffed and got a few guys back (but) it seems like it’s a never ending unlucky occurrence.”

The Heat’s secret weapon as of late has been Derrick Jones Jr, who was signed to a two-way contract on March 31. Jones has spent most of his time with Heat but did have a quick stint with Miami’s developmental league team in Sioux Falls to play in one game, in which he scored 30 points.

Jones has played four games with the Heat, starting two last week when Johnson was dealing with a neck spasm. He is averaging 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 65.3 percent in 17:37. But in his two starts, Jones is averaging 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds. Starting Jones would allow Spoelstra to continue to use Wayne Ellington off the bench.

Jones, though, has just 15 days remaining of NBA time as part of the rules for players on two-way contracts. At that time, the Heat could sign him to a regular NBA contract. But they would have to release a player to make room on the roster.

“I think it’s going to be the next guys that’s going to step up,” James Johnson said. “As we have guys going down, we also have guys getting back, getting back in their groove (like) Justise Winslow. So, next guy up and hopefully it’s going to give another guy a chance to emerge.”

Spoelstra said everybody, including Tyler, was “relieved” when hearing the initial diagnoses.

“We were all thinking the worst,” Spoelstra said, who added Johnson at first thought he hurt his knee, which is why he initially reached for the left knee.

But to have the entire team race the length of the court as he stayed down was testimony to what this team thinks of Tyler.

“Tyler’s one of those guys that you never know,” said James Johnson, who is as close to Tyler as any player on the team. “He could have had a broken leg, and he’d still be sitting here making sure we was all good, making sure that our spirits were still high. But it’s hard to read that guy.”

“We’re all in the trenches together. And we all have respect for Tyler and we all love him. It don’t surprise me.”

[…] Johnson does not know the pain associated with a knee injury. So, when Bulls center Robin Lopez landed on the back of his left leg during the second half of Monday’s game and he felt something in his knee. … he was very […]